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G. L. SMITH.

GAG RUNNER. No. 351,812. Patented Nov. 2, 1886.

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N. PETERS. Pholo'lflhognphef, wnhinglun, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. SMITH, or NEWARK, 'NEW JERSEY.

'GAJG-RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,812, dated November 2, 1886.

Application filed August 6, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. SMITH, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Gag-Runners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a gag-runner for harness provided with a tongue or hook projecting horizontally from the side of the loop or runner near the upper end of the latter,

* and then curling downward in spiral form in a plane parallel or approximately parallel with the face from which the tongue projects, whereby the attachment of therunner is rendered easy, and all possibility of accidental displacement obviated.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of my improved gag-runner;

' Fig. 3, a rear view of the strap with the runnor in position, and Fig. 4. a vertical sectional view through the strap; Fig. 5, a view illustrating a slight modification.

I would state here that Iam aware that gagrunners have heretoforebeen provided with hooks for the purpose of attaching them to straps, and consequently do not desire to claim such ideabroadly.

It is found in practice that after a gag-runner has been in use for sometime and changed from hole to hole in the strap the holes become worn or enlarged, so that the runner is easily detached from the strap by a sudden movement of the horses head, or from other causes, and to obviate these difficulties is the object of my invention.

To this end the invention consists in providing the gag-runner with a tongue or hook of the peculiar form shown in the drawings, in

' which- A indicates the gag-runner as a whole, provided with a loop, B, and a spirally-curved tongue or hook, O. The tongue or hook extends horizontal ly from the gag-runner ashort distance, forming an arm, a, and then formsa lateral curve downward in a plane parallel with the runner, and terminates in a pointed end 12, which end or point 'rests horizontally across the inner face of the strap. It will be noticed that the tongue or hook 0 extends down in a lateral curved line to about the top Serial No. 210,24. (No modeLl .of the loop B, from which it will be seen that a broad bearing is afforded by the tongue or hook on the inner face of the strap. Thehorizontal arm or forms the pivot, on and with which the entire runner may swing, and it is apparent that the runner may turn completely around in the strap without any danger of becoming detached therefrom as the hook branches off at an angle to the length of the runner or loop, which is moved lengthwise by the movements of the horses head.

To insert the gag-runner in the strap, it is only necessary to place the pointed end I) in the hole or perforation of the strap and give the runner a spiral or winding motion. When in place, it will be found impossible to remove the runner without reversing the spiral or winding motion, and it will be readily seen that such a motion cannotbe obtained by the use of the device in practice, and hence all 70 danger of accidental displacement is avoided. In the use of these devices a vertical motion'is impartedto them by the bobbing of the horses head, and of course the tendency to become detached is increased where the tongue or hook extends up or down in line with the mot-ion thus imparted to the runner. In my construction this is obviated by making the tongue or hook spiral, so that by raising up or pulling down on the runner it will not be pulled out of the strap.

The tongue or hook C may be made integral with the body of the runner or separate therefrom; but I prefer the former plan, for the reason that it is stronger and cheaper to manufacture.

The gag-runner constructed as herein described and shown is found to work admirably, and cannot be detached except by hand.

Instead of making the hook C with a regular unbroken curve, as in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that it may be madesomewhat angular, as shown in Fig. 5, the tongue or hook in both cases lying fiat against the face of the strap.

It will-be observed that the hook 0 extends laterally across the rear face of the strap, and this aids materially in preventing the detachment of the runner.

8. In combination with loop B, horizontal arm a, secured to the top thereof, and the curved hook O, secured to the arm, substantially as described, adapted to extend horizontally across the rear face of the strap.

GEO. L. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

JAY TEN EYCK, FRED BURT. 

